If you want to improve your pictures of children, here are a few tips and tricks that will help you get children pictures truly worth framing.
Usually the best pictures of children tend to be candid photos, but if you are taking a formal portrait, always practice with your camera first so you're ready.
When taking candid shots of children outdoors, use a zoom (preferably optical zoom) or a telephoto lens. This allows you to fade a bit into the background. The more noticeable you are taking pictures, the more likely the children will be silly or clam up making it hard to get a natural expression. Also be patient. Let them get used to you being there with your camera. Eventually they will relax.
Focus on the Subject in the Picture. Avoid trying to get everything into the shot and instead just focus on the subject.
When taking pictures of children outside, it's best to use "sports" mode or select a high shutter speed like 1/500 and a wide aperture. With the larger aperture, the background will blur when photographing a child from about 10 feet away. You can also do this with portrait mode, but the great part of using manual settings is you can blur the background and freeze the action.
If you have burst mode on your camera, you can also use this with children on the move. It will take several pictures in rapid succession, and then after uploading to your computer, you can choose the best.
If you're photographing indoors and have good natural light, try using your camera without the flash since flash can be very distracting to kids.
Speaking of flash, be extra cautious when photographing babies. Before using flash with anyone, consult your camera's manual for the maximum safe distance. With many cameras it will be at least three feet.
The best way to pose a baby is in her/his parent's arms. When posing children, always put safety first. When photographing a child and parent, show relationship by having them look at each other or at the same thing. To get baby to look in the same direction as the parent, shake a gentle noisemaker like a bean bag or small rattle.
When photographing toddlers, be ready to work fast. Always be prepared to take lots of pictures so you'll be sure to catch a few really good ones.
One of the best ways to get a great picture of a child is to wait until they get engrossed in something that distracts their attention away from the camera.
Always focus on getting pictures of the baby "firsts" like the first step, first birthday, bike ride and all of the other important moments.
Before you take pictures of any child, always ask the parent for permission beforehand as a courtesy (the only time it wouldn't be necessary is if the child is part of a large group like marching in a parade). Although it is legal to take pictures of people (including children) without permission in public places, it is considerate to ask. Most parents would prefer being asked.
Preschool age children can be quite cute when interacting with other kids their age. Look for those buddy photo ops like when two little ones are holding hands or helping each other with a task.
As you can see taking better pictures of children isn't really complicated but it does require some time and forethought.
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